I'm sure few have seen/heard of this Toyota SUV

Originally designed to be a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) for the Japanese Military, the "Megacruiser" was also made and sold in a civilian version from 1996 until 2003. They were only available in right hand drive and sold in the Japanese and Australian market. As of now, I heard only 7 known vehicles are being owned by civilians.




The "HumVee"


If this were the H1 (obviously); the normal Landcruiser would be the H2 and the 4-Runner the H3

Source: www.megacruiser.com

No report of when it may be released in the US market.

Oh god?! I hope it isn't released in the U.S. H2 owners will cream their pants and run to buy one until they realize it doesn't have a built in deluxe this or limited edition that. Ugly interior. I mean, i know its military, but it looks cheap, tacky, and plasticky. I hated the 80's toyota dash & interior feel that a lot of Asian cars (in my opinon) had up until just recently. The past few years they've gotten a lot better though. Unless this thing gets atleast 25mpg and runs on 'dreams and inspiration'.....

I bet it gets better than 25mpg! It's got a 4 cylinder turbo-charged diesel engine. 150hp. 280 lbs.-ft. torque.

DId they just take the US Army's requirement specs and did a Toyotafication?

notice the 4-wheeled steering. That's a useful option for a land yaught.

I remember when this thing came out. C&D had a little blurb on it. Seemed like an interesting vehicle.

H2 owners are happy in their tacky poser trucks. If they felt like ponying up the cash for what the Megacruiser would cost in the states, they would have already bought an H1, or Gelandewagen, etc.

The Landcruiser and the 4-Runner would have to be designed to replicate the MC's appearance in order to be like the H2 and H3. In this case you could say the Landcruiser is like a Suburban, which is an H2 before the body kit goes on.

That thing's freaking awesome!! Now I know everyone loves to laugh at people that drive big trucks and SUVs, but I see a few things in that Toyota that you don't see in most new vehicles, like that dash cluster that's from a 1982 Toyota Corona. To me, a truck should not have leather, ABS, traction control or any other automated driving aids. Just something that gives you the information you want and you won't feel guilty about slogging through the mud and sand.

Personally I was really hoping to see the Cross Lander 4x4s actually being sold in the States (it's a Romanian import). THAT looks to be a most excellent primitive off-roader.

One of these days I WILL get my 1949 Dodge Power Wagon! ;-)

That Romanian thing looks like a Defender knockoff.

Not sure if it's true or not, but I read somewhere that they had to cancel that project or one like it because Japan isn't allowed to have a large military since WW2 or something? I guess it was deemed a military vehicle or something.

Just give me a Jeep Wrangler with the top off for off-road duty.

My brother owns a yellow H2 which is nice but I just don't care for the "Big Mac" size of the H2.

Cool Toyota truck, think that C&D issue from the 90's might even be in the basement ABTOMAT... There's a few FJ40's I see on the roads locally, one looks totally restored.

Hey Scott are you into classic Toyotas too?

I like the greymarket diesel short wheelbase MB G-Wagons, but IMHO the hands down most capable truck in the world is the UNIMOG :rock:

Japan isn't allowed to have an offensive military, or export military hardware. What they have is called the "Japan Self Defense Force." But it's a real military, with their own guns, trucks, tanks, ships, etc.

Nitroz, A Wrangler with decent tires will kill an H2 off-road. It'll kill an H1 once you get into more technical trails, or smaller ones. The H1's mainly for high speed over hills and brush, etc.

ABTOMAT said:

Japan isn't allowed to have an offensive military, or export military hardware. What they have is called the "Japan Self Defense Force." But it's a real military, with their own guns, trucks, tanks, ships, etc.

Nitroz, A Wrangler with decent tires will kill an H2 off-road. It'll kill an H1 once you get into more technical trails, or smaller ones. The H1's mainly for high speed over hills and brush, etc.

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Abtomat,

That is what is so great about the Wrangler, and the older boxy style Cherokee. What I would really like to have is one of the old Scramblers but it's hard to find one in good shape.

I have an old ZJ Grand Cherokee. All the off-road of the Cherokee but better ride. One of these days I'll get around to putting on a lift I bought

mosport said:

Hey Scott are you into classic Toyotas too?

I like the greymarket diesel short wheelbase MB G-Wagons, but IMHO the hands down most capable truck in the world is the UNIMOG :rock:

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I wouldn't say I'm into classic Toyotas in that I know a lot more about them than the average enthusiast, but the FJ40 is on "Scott's Top Ten Fave Motor Vehicle List" hahaha. Have you guys heard of the Icon? It's a pre-restored version of the FJ40, based on mainly new parts, and you can get it with a diesel. I see ads for them in the back of Motor Week frequently, but I think they're getting six figures for those things. IIRC, Steve Millen Motorsports restored an FJ40 and it had a Lexus 32-valve V8, I think the engine was a 1UZ-FE (300 horsepower) version from the Lexus GS400.

Speaking of the Unimog... I can think of the "Poor Man's Unimog," a Mitsubishi Fuso FG! It's a short-wheelbase cabover, four cylinder diesel 4x4 truck with a 5-speed manual trans. $33k out the door from my local heavy truck dealership, but I don't know offhand if you can drive it with a Class C license, but you probably can.